This site uses cookies.
Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site,
while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used.
For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.

spelling in the UK

English translation: cooperation

Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs
(or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

I am re-writing a series of articles written in or translated into English by people from all over the EU. The client wants British spelling. In most of the articles co-operation is hyphenated something that in the US is acceptable but certainly antiquated. The articles are not by any means formal. Can I change to cooperation? (It´s the whole theme so I want to be sure!) Thanks.

Explanation:For me; I may be antiquated, but I think that to omit a hyphen where it assists readability is just silly. Not to say positively lazy....
In any case, Chambers 21st Century dictionary gives "Co-operate", "co-ordinate" to give but two examples, so I think that is correct.

style guides aren\'t meant to be taken as gospel, they\'re designed to ensure consistency within a newspaper\'s pages. However, they are drawn up by sub-editors who have to wrestle with the nuances and ambiguities of language on a daily basis and as such they are a **useful** guide to how the language is evolving, whether or not you agree with them in the end. And unlike a search engine, a style guide has at least benefited from the input of a discerning human mind, which is a scarce enough resource these days.

Christine Andersen: This is the one in the Concise Oxford, for what it's worth. To confuse everyone, the Times style guide gives co-operation, co-ordination ... but uncooperative, uncoordinated!! So write what you like.